We are buying a Real Christmas Tree this year for our kids....Any Tips/Advice?

Bring a big wallet. Buy a big plastic tree disposal bag and put it under the tree. Buy a stand that will hold water and not leak. You have to cut the trunk to expose fresh trunk to absorb water, and you will probably have to saw some off the sides to fit in the stand. Buy one a foot lower than your ceiling. The longer you store it in the garage in water the longer it will last. If you put it up now you will be picking up needles before Christmas. Use a shop vac to pick up needles, not your regular vac. Try to keep the cat out of the tree and the dog from watering it. Cover the plastic bag and stand with a tree skirt, but leave an opening to pour in more water. If you can anchor the tree to the top of the window frame...it is very messy when the kids knock them over. Turn off the tree lights before going to bed.

''vmcg'' is right, I'm adding my two cents to it:

--we always buy our tree on the second weekend of December and when we throw it out is still green.....

--the tree stand will depend on the size of the tree, ask the people at the tree shop to give you some advice.....

--when buying the tree, check it by breaking the very tip of any of the branches using only your fingers, if it still sticky is a good one, if not, do not buy it, it is too old (told to us by a tree farm owner)....

--they mostly do it, but make sure that the person wrapping the tree makes a cut at the bottom to expose a fresh part of the trunk.....

--when about to put up the tree into the base, make sure to drill a hole at the bottom of the trunk, right in the center, so it will absorb the water more efficiently....

--crush two aspirins and add them to the water *each and every time* you put water, the chemicals in the aspirins will keep the tree green longer...

--remember that you can cut/trim out any branch that is out of proportion and will not affect the tree in any way....

--try to buy an extension with remote control to turn it on and off, is a whole lot easier not only to light it on and off but the extensions have lots of plugs that go all the way up to the tree star, so setting up the lights is a breeze. Besides, every night, you can ask one of your children to do the honor or using the remote to turn it on, they will love it!